/**
 * This file is part of 1genia trampoline
 * Copyright (C) 2007 1genia (contact@1genia.com)
 *
 * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
 * it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as
 * published by the Free Software Foundation; version 3 of the License. 
 *
 * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
 * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
 * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
 * Library General Public License for more details. 
 *
 * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
 * License along with this library; see the file COPYING.TXT.  If not,
 * write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street,
 * Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA. 
 **/
package com.genia.toolbox.web.portlet.description;

import java.util.Map;

import com.genia.toolbox.basics.i18n.I18nMessage;

/**
 * base interface describing a variable for a portlet.
 */
public interface VariableDescription
{

  /**
   * is the variable mandatory.
   * 
   * @return <code>true</code> if an only if the variable is mandatory,
   *         <code>false</code> otherwise
   */
  public abstract boolean isMandatory();



  /**
   * getter for the name of the variable property.
   * 
   * @return the name of the variable
   */
  public abstract String getName();



  /**
   * getter for the description of the variable property.
   * 
   * @return the description of the variable
   */
  public abstract I18nMessage getDescription();



  /**
   * return the list of acceptable values, or <code>null</code> if the value
   * must be entered.
   * 
   * @return the list of acceptable values, or <code>null</code> if the value
   *         must be entered
   */
  public abstract Map<I18nMessage, String> getValues();



  /**
   * This method check that the value entered for this variable is correct. It
   * return <code>null</code> if this is the case. Otherwise it returns the
   * internationalisation key of the error message.
   * 
   * @param value
   *          the value to check
   * @return <code>null</code> of the value of the variable is correct, the
   *         internationalisation message the error otherwise.
   */
  public abstract I18nMessage accept(String value);
}
